Lost 250 lbs, Gained a Life!

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Benefits of Thinking Small

Do you ever look at something that you want to accomplish but it seems so challenging that you’ll never accomplish it? The journey looks so long that you’ll never get there? That’s how I felt about my weight. Like I was an ant trying to scale Mt. Kilamanjaro. Where do you begin?

Each time I set out to lose weight I was motivated to begin. I’d eat better, work out, and then get on the scale and lose 2lbs. Two pounds. Two. All that work for 2 lousy pounds. I had so much more to lose and at that rate it would take forever. Why bother? Then I quit. I’m the ant at the base of Mt. Kilamanjaro once again.

What I failed to see was that 2lbs every week is 104lbs in a year! Did you know that every pound lost is 4 pounds of pressure off the knees! So often I’ve quit because I was so focused on how far I had left to go without celebrating what I had done. Those two pounds were actually 8 pounds off my knees and two pounds in the right direction! Yet, I chose to berate myself instead of celebrate my accomplishment.

The key to not getting overwhelmed is breaking your big goal into smaller, more attainable goals. This will allow you to keep focused, celebrate milestones, and stay on track. If you try too much too quickly then you run the risk of freaking out and stopping.

When I set out to to the NYC Marathon the thought of going that far all at once seemed impossible. When you start training you discover that you gradually work up your miles over time. Starting with smaller distances and adding as you go in a very measured system your body becomes accustomed to the distances you’re adding and you become better. I remember one day I left work after a 12 hour shift and ran 8 miles. I never dreamed that was possible!

Take it easy, be kind to yourself, set small goals, check your progress, and adjust your goals accordingly.

Steps will become miles and just when your brain tells you that you have too far to go, look back and celebrate just how far you’ve come. If you stay with it, you will get to the top of the mountain! Remember the quote from Lao Tzu: